Thursday, May 02, 2013

Lampedusa in Hamburg

"We're here and we don't go back"

We are the Refugees coming from Italy with international protection
but no rights. We survived the NATO bombings and the civil war in Libya,
to be homeless in Italy.

Thousands of us are now in Germany in the same conditions: no
housing, no access to social help, no access to the job market. We
demand a political solution: "We are here and we don't go back!". We
want the right to make a living here in Germany.

If we had found possible conditions in Italy we would stay there.
There was no possibility to handle anymore. Italian government in the
beginning of 2013 closed the programs of reception - the so-called
Emergency North Africa - throwing the people basically on the street.
400-500 euro were given to each refugee with the suggestion to go away.
Where? To northern Europe.

The problem is now on a european level being Germany one of the most
powerful states, decision maker for the migrations and asylum policies
in Europe. The Dublin System - with the rule that the Refugees "belong"
to the first country in Europe they arrive - is aimed to deny the right
of the Refugees to choose where they want to live. The same ideology
that's behind the Residenzpflicht.

We join the struggle the Refugees in Germany are bringing forwards
since almost 20 years within the german asylum system. The fight is one.

We demand our rights as recognized refugees:
- the Dublin system must be ended
- housing, social and medical care
- working permit and access to education

Here in Hamburg we were accomodated in a camp for homeless people during the winter period.
This camp was closed beginning of April and we were pushed to the streets again. Our actual situation is catastrophic.

We don't want to live in the streets and forced to street prostitution, drug dealing or other criminal acts.
We unite, call for solidarity and demand our rights!